


Reunion

by Insperowl



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, reunion of Cody and Rex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23630251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insperowl/pseuds/Insperowl
Summary: The empire has fallen and Cody is ready for what awaits him when the new government arrives at Kamino to put all the stormtroopers and officers on trial. He reconciled with his fate, but a big surprise awaits him. Aka Cody and Rex finally reunited
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 66





	Reunion

The empire has fallen. The Emperor was killed by Darth Vader, the rebels destroyed the new Death Star... The new government will be here soon to put everyone on the base under trial.

The officers, who were dumber and desperate, called on recruits not to surrender at the mercy of the enemies and fight to the last in a fit of patriotism. The simple fact that this is no longer makes sense did not bother them. Unless they really hoped save what the empire. The smarter officers were in a hurry to get out of the planet as quickly as possible. Cody watched all of them with undisguised irritation. Did everyone truly believe that the new government would forget about them and their merits to the empire so easily?

The republic, the empire, now the new government, consisting of former rebels... Only the wrapper has changed.

He already saw how one system collapsed and another grew in its place. He himself took an active part in this, exterminating the Jedi one by one, not to mention the hundreds of people displeased with the empire. Rex once tried to warn him of the possible danger of the chips, but Cody didn't want to think about it. He believed in the Republic, and therefore he had no reason to doubt the official reason of Fives and Tup's death. He was a blind fool.

Utapau have changed everything. He well remembered the moment when he gave the order to shoot at General Kenobi. Then everything seemed natural and correct. They were born to become good soldiers. And good soldiers follow orders. This words was into his mind for many years, not allowing him to think about anything else, and actually turning him into an obedient droid.

The Great Army of the Republic quietly molted into the Stormtroopers. There was no paint on their armor and there were no more names anymore. They became numbers again. They all turned out to be only obedient toys in the hands of the emperor, cannon fodder, which can be easily replaced and no one will notice the difference. Controlled by the chip, they themselves did not think about who they were once, and what awaited them in the future.

Year after year, Cody fought the enemies of the empire, losing his loyal men, his brothers. No longer burdened with caring for his brothers, Cody used excellent effective strategies that cost the lives of many of his friends.

Awareness of what had happened came to him much later, years later, when the chip finally ceased to operate. Indifference and detachment were replaced by loneliness and endless nightmares. But there was no one else to support him in the minutes when pain and despair overwhelmed him. He wanted to howl and cry with powerlessness and anger.

Rex died on Mangalore with Asoka Tano, and Cody did not want to think how he felt when the brothers turned their blasters against him. If Rex removed the damned chip... If that was so ... Cody did not want to think about it. It was to painful to think about.

Gregor and Wolffe disappeared somewhere in the Outer Rim and never got in touch with him, no matter how much Cody tried to contact them. Cody could understand them, but that didn't make it any less painful.

The empire spared no one, not even those who helped it to rise and gain power. Those few of his brothers who survived have scattered around the Outer Ring, no longer needed by the system they helped in the past. Some of them were more fortunate, and now they served Darth Vader, forming the new 501st legion.

According to the emperor, Cody was bestowed with the greatest mercy - to train a new generation of stormtroopers. Cody has thought that madness or death would been much more merciful. He despised a new generation of stormtroopers.

They were not clones. They were not breed for war and were not trained since they were born. They had childhood. They had families and life outside the base, they joined the army with certain goals, and they could leave it if they wanted to, they even had salary and pensions. They won't be thrown like garbage into the streets of Coruscant like clones.

In the distant past, when he came to the mess, he saw one familiar face of his brothers. Brothers were everywhere! They were always friendly, and he could share everything with them. Nowhere else did he feel the unity that was between him and his brothers.

They sharing one face, one voce and one fate. They sharing rations when they had long campaigns and difficult days of endless battles. They have always been a large family where no one is ever been alone and could always find sympathy and support in difficult times. Despite the fact that they were born to become a consumable, a faceless mass that should fight for the good of the republic, the clones created their own world with their language and traditions. They could no longer be considered ordinary numbers, they had long become personalities. They had names, their own habits, their own unique tattoos and scars, they had paint on armor...

Waxer was fortunate that he did not live to see how 212nd return to Ryloth to establish a new order. He was lucky that he did not help Boil and the rest of his brothers to shoot the rebels. Cody was wondering if he would have gone mad if he had seen the girl Numa among the dead? Or would he died with Boil in an ambush arranged by Cham Syndulla? Cody did not want to think about it, but every time he involuntarily looked at himself in the mirror, he could not help but recall what he had once lost.

The empire entrusted him with training recruits. He was the best of the best, he could pass a lot of useful knowledge to a new generation of stormtroopers. The faceless army, which brings death to all of empires enemies. But Cody saw their weaknesses and low potential. They were ordinary people. How could he bring up ideal soldiers from previously unsuitable material? Stormtroopers were not his brothers and never will be. They could not even become those to whom he could entrust his back. Cody despised them, never ceasing to compare them with clone troopers. The clones would never have made such stupid mistakes at the training grounds, the clones would not have left the brothers on the battlefield, the clones were always united.

This contempt was mutual. Cody knew very well how his subordinates treated him. Some officers openly wondered why such a relic of the past, like him, still serves to the empire. In some ways they were right. But Cody was not going to please them with his dismissal. The truth was that he had no idea what he could do outside the army. He fought his whole life and was now infinitely old and too broken to change anything in his life.

Somewhere deep down, he was hoping for a death sentence that would free him from the need to continue living memories. If only the rebels attacked their base ... To die in battle is much more honorable than to be executed by people who despised the clones and did not know anything about their difficult fate. He was too tired to fight, and too proud to make one shot that would free him from the hated service.

“And how long are you going to behave like frightened gungans?” Cody asked in exasperation, tired of all this nonsense.

The recruits, who were crowding near the headquarters, turned to him. There was a strange, strained expression on their faces. He often saw this look on the faces of everyone he met this days. Did they expect any special behavior from him?

“Lieutenant Jem ordered us to wait for further orders,” reported the boldest of them. It seems the comrades called him 501. Cody had long ceased to bother remembering rookies numbers.

"Further orders? Did he learn how to speak with ghost of the emperor or is he hoping for the mercy of the new government? Brainless idiot. If you did not want to run from here along with the rest, then get down to duties and guard the perimeter of the base! As soon as the rebel ship appears...

“There is no need for this, Commander,” Lieutenant Jem smiled smugly, leaving the headquarters. He could boast of some competence, but all this was lost against the background of his exorbitant pride. Cody thought that he would not have survived on the battlefield and day. " To be honest, I assumed that you would decide to resist. But I don't blame you, Commander. This is part of your nature. As far as I know, loyalty is laid at the genetic level in clones and therefore you cannot betray, even if you want. Am I wrong?

That is why everyone looked at him with such a strained expression? They believed that something would click in his head and he would fight the rebels like an obedient machine that could not fail to follow the program? Cody was glad that bucket hiding his face at the moment. This is not the first time that he has been compared to a meat droid, and perhaps not the last. The empire did a great job, and now no one took the clone differently than the obedient, inhuman machine.

Cody clenched his fists, forcing himself not to move. He was not going to give Jem what he wanted, and what the all rookies desired. All those people here are morons who would not survive a day in a real battle. This battalion was not worth a dozen clones of the Great Army of the Republic. And therefore it was not worth falling to their level.

“We decided it would be wiser to give up without resistance,” Jem continued, not waiting for his answer. “The rebel leadership has already contacted us and informed us that if we do not resist, the court will be lenient to us. They will be here shortly with the Jedi, about whom there were so many rumors. Therefore, I think you will understand me, Commander, none of us wants unnecessary misfires. I, as the future representative of our base, relive you from duty. And until all issues with the Jedi are resolved, you will be placed on punishment cell. It will be very bad if you remember the glorious past and decide to kill Jedi. But you know, I find something quite ironic. Now the fate of the clone will depend on the mercy of the Jedi. And he is unlikely to be merciful when he discovers that you were one of the first to open fire on the Jedi!"

Cody could not stand it. How could this banta shit be better than him? Only because he was born by mother and had family? That he had where to go if he wanted to quit the army? Jem was something like Jar Jar Binks, but nothing like soldier. Cody did not think that he could still hate someone with such fury. Probably, Jem did this on purpose, so that he could send Cody to the punishment cell in handcuffs. But Cody was satisfied that he could smash his nose.

The rookies managed to pull Cody away from Jem, and someone snapped the handcuffs on his wrists.

“If I were you, I wouldn't be so happy, Lieutenant,” Cody spat out fiercely. "It's unlikely that the new government will want to have such unskilled banta shit like you by their side. As for me and the Jedi, then so be it. For someone like you, you don’t understand everything that connected the clones to the Jedi.  
“It is below my dignity to be interested in the life of pitty clones and long dead Jedi,” Jem said angrily, adjusting his collar on his uniform and carefully touching his nose. "Take him away!"

***

All the way to the camera passed in silence. The rookies only looked at each other, but did not dare to say anything. Perhaps they were glad they got rid of him, but Cody didn't care. The punishment cell is not so bad, especially when you do not need to communicate with anyone in it. If Skywalker really wants to take revenge, then this is his right. Cody's rage gave way to indifference.

When the cell door closed behind him, Cody sat on his bunk and covered his face with his hands.

There were various rumors about Luke Skywalker, and each of them was one more fantastic than the other. None of the people who spread this gossip had ever seen a real Jedi.And they attributed to him such abilities that even Obi-Wan Kenobi could only dream of.

Cody did not want to think about his former general at all, but he dreamed about him more and more often in bizarre nightmares.

He landed on Utapau again and fired again, but instead of falling, Kenobi found himself next to him. But he was not that man Cody remembered him, but he was old man with the same dull look as he had himself. The general was saying something, but Cody could never remember the next morning what it was. And was there any sense in that? The dead must remain dead. His mind often played cruel games with him.

“Maybe I saw you because I'll join you soon? Am I right, General? ”

Cody pulled out of his pocket an old and long poorly displayed holofoto. The only thing that remained with him after many years of being in darkness. There were young Cody, Rex, Fives and Echo. Happy, full of hope and faith in the Republic. Fives was the first to know the truth. Could something have changed if Skywalker believed him then?.. Or if Cody believed Rex and pulled out the chip? Would anything change, or would Cody die at the hands of his brothers like Rex? Too many “ifs” arose every time he looked at this photo.

“Wait a little longer. I will join you soon. ”

Cody lay down on his bunk and closed his eyes. He imagined Rex and Fives - how he would tell them everything that had happened, and how he would ask Rex for forgiveness for not believing him. He will be able to have a drink with Boil and Waxer, listen to stories about Numa, whether she survived in the horror that was happening on Ryloth or not. They would have had the tenacity to find her on the other side. He will retell Echo the books that he managed to read. They'll together they will discuss the differences in the charters of the Great Army of the Republic and the stormtroopers corps. Of course, the comparison won't be in favor of the latter. He will no longer be alone and full of regrets.

Perhaps one day he would even dare to find Obi-Wan to ask him for forgiveness too...

_He had a nightmare once again. He was almost a droid, unaware of what he was doing._

_Good soldiers follow orders..._

_His mind was stuck somewhere deep in his head and powerlessly watched everything that was happening._

_"Cody!"_

_He almost forgot his real name. There was no one who could call him by this name. Did he kill them himself or did one of his brothers do it. All that remained of him was an impersonal number, and at times Cody thought that it's much better._

_Good soldiers foolow orders..._

_"Cody!"_

_Cody knew that voice. Did General Kenobi still expect anything from him? Why he couldn't just leave him alone in his misery? Cody realized with surprise that he could control his body again._

_“Cody...”_

_Cody turned around to recognize that voice. For some reason, Obi-Wan was much older than the day he died. He stood nearby and looked sympathetically at Cody. Feeling guilty squeezed the heart with renewed vigor._

_“You are dead, sir. Leave me finally alone!"_

_Cody clenched his fists and forced himself not to look away. If he let himself look at Kenobi, it will only get worse._

_“You are not guilty of my death, Cody,” he said softly, slowly approaching him. “I have told you this more than once.”  
“Do you really think that I remember my dreams?” Cody smirked, feeling trembling. He is tired. Endlessly tired of the severity of guilt, which pressed him for everything that he did, without controlling himself. He killed too many innocent people. He once knew many of them personally and many of them were his friends! “But don't worry about that. Soon we will have a lot of time to talk about it."_

_Kenobi's gaze became even more sympathetic._

_“Luke will be very surprised when he finds out what you think about him. Unfortunately, I have too little time to convince you, ”Kenobi sighed heavily and laid a hand on Cody’s shoulder. “But you're right. We will still have time to talk about it. But not the way you think. Everything will change soon. You're not alone."_

***

Cody opened his eyes and cursed at those idiots who could not open the cell the first time. He poorly remembered what he dreamed of, but for some reason it seemed that this was really important.

"What was that?"

"Commander! The rebels have arrived!" 501 reported.  
"So what?" Grumbled Cody. Of the new batch of recruits, this one was the most annoying. He often showed unnecessary curiosity and emotionality. He loved to read and re-read the charter, and hoped to someday climb the career ladder as high as possible. A naive idiot who could hit the target only thanks to great luck. "Lieutenant Jem put it very clearly: I am relived from duty. My settings can make me fight the Jedi, haven't forgotten?" He grumbled evilly, recalling a recent brawl.  
“So is that true?” could not resist 501. Why is this idle curiosity about?  
“You never answered my first question, rookie,” said Cody tiredly. He absolutely did not want to start discussion, much less lectured the curious rookie. It will be enough that he will have to interact with the General Skywalker's son.  
“The Jedi asked me to bring you! As soon as he was given a list of all those who are at the base, he immediately became interested in you."

“Yeah, accidently of course. Apparently, Jem trying to avenge his broken nose. Well... Better not to delay it. ”

Cody sighed and stepped out of the punishment cell, leaving his helmet on the bed. He was not going to put it on anymore. 501 followed Cody.

“Sir, may I ask you a question? How is it to serve under the Jedi command?"  
“I'll give you one piece of advice, rookie,” Cody frowned at him. “If the new government decides to have mercy on you and leave you in the service... Do not open your kriffing mouth before your superior are allowed you to speak. Or do you expect to serve under the Jedi?"

Cody was annoyed again. Why ask such questions now? Did he really hope that Cody would tell him about his life? The galaxy will not lose anything from the death of the old clone. On the contrary, everyone will forget about him and his brothers very quickly, leaving almost no true stories.501 was not the one to whom Cody could entrust keeping the memory of the clones of Jango Fett.

“I'm sorry, Commander, but you leave me no choice then.” Cody froze, sensing a threat from his back. 501 aimed at him from a blaster. “Lieutenant Jem has ordered you to be eliminated before you meet the Jedi. We cannot take risks. You don't have anyone to mourn you, but we all have families. If you attack the Jedi, he may decide that this is a trap and then we may lose our heads with you.

_Idiots. Do they really expect this to help? No. Rather, Jam decided to get rid of me in revenge for a broken nose and hurted pride, hiding behind lofty goals. Junk like Jam is capable of that..._

However, in some ways 501 is right. Cody has nothing to lose, and there is no point in continuing this worthless life. What difference does it make - a lightsaber or a blaster bolt? He was long awaited on the other side.

"Then do not hesitate, rookie. Do this heroic deed, get the approval of the Jedi and run to complain to your mommy about the injustice of life. People like you will never understand what it is like to seeing a mirror face that you have shared with your brothers. They were real warriors, not like you, useless banta shit! They fought and died, so that crooked idiots like you could now pose as great warriors!  
“Well, sir, I will help you see your great brothers!”501s growled in response, ready to pull the trigger.

Cody closed his eyes, resigned to his fate. Traitor betrayed his own subordinate. It will be a worthy death for someone like him. He was waiting for the shot, but this did not happen.

Instead, he heard the characteristic sounds of stunning and falling body. Cody managed to open his eyes just in time to see the 501 crashing to the floor, dropping his blaster.

Cody turned to see his unexpected savior, and for a moment forgot how to breathe. It was Rex. Unlike himself on the holofoto, he also grew older, like Cody, and grew a lush beard and baldness. He wore the green uniform of the rebels, but the arms of the old armor, painted in the colors of the 501st legion, remained on his hands. He stood with a blaster in his hands and looked at Cody, as if not believing that the man in the armor of the stormtrooper and with an extinct look turned out to be his brother, with whom they often devised thousands of ways to get their generals mad.

Cody read a whole gamut of emotions on Rex's face: from the joy of meeting to the pain of realizing that a little more, and they could never see each other again.

"Hello, vod."

“Hello, Rex,” said Cody in response, not knowing whether he should have rejoiced at this meeting or got angry at Rex for making him mourn his death for so many years. “Where did kriff you be all these years?!”  
“Cody...”

Cody almost forgot that name. By the time the clones got freedom, there was no one left who could call him by name. He was glad that it was Rex who reminded him of who he was once.

Rex came closer and pressed Cody's forehead to his, grabbing his neck. In this simple gesture was all that he had been deprived of all these years. Warmth and care. He is no longer alone. Rex will be by his side and is unlikely to let his Jedi touch him.

“Kriff, I'm almost late ... Did you make this poor thing crazy by quoting the book?”  
"Rather, told this banta shit that his existence make no sence."  
“Well, give him a little break” Rex grinned grimly. "We'll return to this later. Now there are more important things to do. Come on, brother, you need to get that creep stuff out of you."  
“Afraid of the new Skywalker?”  
“I rather do not want you to go through this again. In the worst case, it will kill you, starting to collapse like it was with Tup."

For a couple of moments they walked in silence. Cody was willing to bet Rex was thinking about Fives right now.

“I ... should have listened to you then,” Cody sighed heavily. “Maybe things would have turned out a little differently... By the way,” he squinted at Rex, “you could have let me know that you were not dead.”  
"Sorry. I was afraid... "Rex looked at him with pain in his eyes. “After the Mangalore... Wolffe told me that you remained in the service of the empire, and I was afraid...”  
"Stop it, I understand. I myself wouldn't want to see myself at that time..."

Cody regretted starting this conversation. It was not worth talking about it now. This topic was painful for both of them. If Rex let him know that he had survived, the empire would know about it too. And only the Force knows how it could end. Change the topic? But nothing smarter now occurred to Cody's mind. He just wanted to enjoy the company of an old friend. They had something to keep quiet about together.  
“You know, as soon as the empire fell, I immediately began to look for you,” Rex spoke again. “I believed that you were alive, and did not want to give up until I found you. The imperial data and General Kenobi helped us a lot, and the transmission from Kamino was helpful. As you can see, I arrived just in time."

Cody paused, as if he had run into an invisible wall, and looked at Rex with disbelief.

“Kriff, what the heck are you talking about? General Kenobi is dead! I myself gave the order."

A strange shadow ran across Rex's face. He also stopped and laid a hand on Cody's shoulder. Sadness was read again on his face.

"Everything is somewhat more complicated than you think. General Kenobi is dead, but it was not you who killed him, but Darth Vader several years ago. This is a long story. General Kenobi was able to trick death. The Jedi can do things that we cannot understand, ”Rex grinned and scratched his head. "I don't go into subtleties, but General Kenobi exists in the form of a disembodied spirit of Force. And only a Jedi can see him. Skywalker will tell you more if you want. Kid really wanted to meet and talk with you."

Cody said nothing, pondering what he heard. If Rex's words were true, then it turns out that those dreams were not dreams at all? Did Kenobi somehow try to get in touch with him, despite what happened on Utapau? In his place, Cody would not have been looking for someone who might have caused his death. But the Jedi have always been characterized by unusual behavior, especially General Kenobi. Why then did he never remember what Kenobi told him in his dreams?

_Maybe I should ask Skywalker..._

Cody made himself forget about all the pressing issues when they stopped at the door of the med bay. Here his journey as stormtrooper will end, and Cody did not feel regret about this. He glanced at Rex.

“If you disappear again when I wake up, I will not forgive you.”  
“Don’t worry, I will stay next to you until you feel better, vod” Rex smiled, watching Cody lay on the table. “And then we will find you other clothes to replace this trash.”

Cody laughed for the first time in many years. Rex did not deceive his expectations. He knew that Rex would not like the trash that the empire proudly called stormtrooper armor. Clone armor saved them from crazy hits many times, but it was worth a shot at the stormtrooper and their armor didn't protect them.

“I hope for you, vod,” the droid injected him with something, and Cody felt himself falling asleep.

They will still have time to discuss all the shortcomings of the stormtrooper armor and talk about the past. Perhaps he will even ask the Skywalker's boy to talk about how he met with General Kenobi. But it will be in the future. And now he will get rid of the kriffing chip and finally become free from the empire and the past. He will become a Cody again and, if necessary, will again stand shoulder to shoulder with Rex, as he did many years ago. He will never be alone again.


End file.
